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BCG vaccine can help elderly fight against Covid-19: ICMR study

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4 years ago

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The Bacille Calmette-Guerin or BCG vaccine, originally made against tuberculosis, may help in the management of Covid-19, especially in the elderly, says a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The BCG vaccination is known to induce innate immune memory, which confers protection against several infections, the study uploaded as preprint at medRxiv, reported.

“We investigated the impact of BCG vaccination on the frequencies of T cell, B cell, monocyte and dendritic cell subsets,” the study researchers from ICMR wrote.

“We also investigated total antibody levels in a group of healthy elderly individuals (age 60-80 years) at one month post vaccination as part of our clinical study to examine the effect of BCG on Covid-19,” they added.

The results showed that BCG vaccination induces enhanced innate and adaptive immunity in elderly individuals which may prove beneficial against the coronavirus.

“Finally, BCG vaccination resulted in elevated levels of all antibody isotypes,” the researchers wrote.

“BCG vaccination was associated with enhanced innate and adaptive memory cell subsets, as well as total antibody levels in elderly individuals,” they concluded.

Earlier in October, as part of a large-scale global trial, scientists in Britain launched a study to test if the widely-used BCG vaccine could help protect people against Covid-19.

A study published in the journal ‘Cell Reports Medicine’, also revealed that the BCG vaccine has a general stimulating effect on the immune system and is, therefore, effective against Covid-19.

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Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

Published

3 years ago

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May 4, 2022

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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